RALEIGH, N.C. – A U.S. Magistrate Judge signed a Federal criminal complaint yesterday which accuses Christopher Carnes, 33, of knowingly and willfully making a threat to take the life, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States. Carnes is charged with violating 18 U.S.C. § 871(a) and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison if convicted.
During May of 2026, Carnes posted several videos on Facebook where he made statements to include “Donald J. Trump, I’m going to kill you” and advised viewers to alert the “Secret Service in Washington, DC.” Investigators established that Carnes was located in Raleigh when he posted the threatening Facebook videos. On June 6, 2026, Carnes posted an additional Facebook video where he referenced his prior threatening videos while talking about having pipe bombs. After displaying a self-described “PVC blaster” in the trunk of his car, Carnes stated “This here…I’ve told you Donald Trump, I’m not a person for bluff calling…now that the Government knows I have a live bomb in my car…Well you f*** around and you come find out.”
On June 10, 2026, investigators met with Carnes at the Raleigh Police Department (RPD). Carnes arrived in the same car from his Facebook videos. After a canine alerted to the potential presence of explosive materials in the car, RPD officers searched his car and found PVC pipe and a metal pin.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The USSS and RPD are investigating the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-MJ-1912-BM.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Eastern District of North Carolina — U.S. Department of Justice press release.